Spotlight



Dec. 17, '195.7 c. E. CAMERON 2,817,005

A SPOTLIGHT v Filed April 9, 1,956 V '2 sims-sheet- 1 Dec. 17, 1957 c.E.. CAMERON 2,817,005

SPOTLIGHT Filed April 9 1956 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 IIIIIHH llllll IHHHHHHI-I l l1 fizn V- @mha/If),

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SPOTLIGHT.

Colin E. Cameron, Warsaw, Ind., assignor to Amolt Corporation, acorporation of Indiana This invention relates to spotlights of the kindused on vehicles such as automobiles, boats, airplanes and the like, andparticularly the invention relates to remote control spotlights.

Remote control spotlights of the above character have been made withmany different types of actuating or control apparatus, and one of themost effective and satisfactory operating devices for such spotlightshas involved the use of an operating element that is capable ofactuation through both longitudinal and rotative movements, and therotative movement has been utilized in turning the spotlight, while thelongitudinal movement of the operating member has been utilized -t-oimpart rocking movements to the light. Such an operating element ormember has been operatively connected to the lamp housing of thespotlight by means of a cam connection somewhat in the nature of aspiral gear so that during longitudinal shifting movement of theoperating member, a series of angularly disposed cam slots on one sideof the operating member cooperate successively with a series of pinsdisposed in the lamp housing in an arcuate series centered upon thehorizontal axis of the lamp housing. Through this arrangement andcooperation of the cam slots and the pins the longitudinal movements ofthe operating member are effective to impart the desired rockingmovements to the lamp housing.

Where a remote control spotlight of the aforesaid character is used on avehicle, such as an automobile, it often becomes desirable to utilizethe lamp housing of the spotlight as the supporting means for arear-vision mirror, and when such a rear-vision mirror is provided,additional utility is attained because the remote control means for thespotlight may also serve as a convenient adjustment means for therear-vision mirror.

Such mounting for a rear-vision mirror has been utilized to some extentin industry, but it has been found that the lamp housing of a spotlight,such as that above described, is, in certain instances, subject toconsiderable vibration which, of course, interferes with the use of therear-vision mirror. lt is usually considered to be desirable that thenormal adjustment of a rear-vision mirror be attained when the spotlightis in substantially its horizontal position or, in other words, when itis about midway between its upper and lower limits of rocking movement,and with the cam type of actuator above described, it is at thisintermediate position of adjustment that any rocking or vibratingtendencies that are often found in the actuating structure are the mostpronounced.

in View of the foregoing, it is the primary object of the presentinvention to enable cam-operated spotlights of the aforesaid characterto be so constructed and arranged that the tendency toward vibration ofthe lamp housing is substantially eliminated, and another and relatedobject of the invention is to enable vibration of the lamp housing ofsuch a light to be substantially eliminated while at the same timemaking provision for adequate manufacturing tolerances in the partsthereof.

Other and further objects of the present invention will rates Patent O f2,817,005 Patented Dee. 17, 1957 be apparent from the followingdescription and claims, and are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, which by Way of illustration show a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention and the principles thereof, and what l nowconsider to be the best mode in which l have contemplated applying theseprinciples. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same orequivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made asdesired by those skilled in the art without departing from theinvention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View taken through a spotlight embodyingthe features of the invention, and showing the remote control operatingmeans in schematic association therewith;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View showing the spotlight in a differentadjusted position and showing further details of construction;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view looking in an upward direction andtaken substantially along the line -t--4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the head and base of the light with thelamp housing removed.

In the form chosen for disclosure herein the invention is embodied in aremote control spotlight 1d having a lamp housing 11 that is secured oncomplemental upper flanges 12F of a bracket 12 by means such as bolts12S, and this bracket provides a pair of spaced mounting ears 13 thatextend downwardly and which are pivoted on a horizontal axis 15 on asupporting head 14. The head 14 has a downwardly extending stem 15 of areduced size that projects into a vertical mounting bore 16 that isprovided in a base 17, such base having horizontally extending flanges17'? that may through the intermediary of a gasket 18 'oe positioned ona horizontal surface or wall 19 of vehicle body as, for example, on theupper surface of the fender of an automobile. The base 1'7 also has adownwardly extending sleeve 17S which serves in part to form thevertical bearing or bore 16 and which projects through an opening in themounting wall 19 and into a central opening or chamber in a cup-shapedlower retaining fitting 20. This fitting 2@ has anges 20F that engagethe lower face of the mounting wall 19, and means such as stud and boltconnections 21 serve to clamp the fitting 20 and the base 17 in positionon the vehicle. With the structure thus described the lamp housing 11may be turned about the vertical axis of the bore 16 by rotation of thehead 14, and the lamp housing may be rocked about the horizontal axis 15by imparting rocking movements to the bracket 12. These adjustingmovements of the lamp housing 11 may be utilized to position arear-vision mirror 25 that is secured to a rear portion of the lamphousing 11 by means such as a spacer 26 and a securing screw 27 as willbe evident in Figs. l and 2.

The turning and rocking movements are imparted to the lamp housing 11 bymeans including an operating member 32 that is mounted within the head14 for longitudinal sliding movement in a vertical direction, and themember 32 is associated with the head 14 in such a way that rotativeforces applied to the operating member 32 will impart correspondingrotating or turning movements to the head 14. While the specificstructure of the operating member 32 will be described in detailhereinafter, it might be noted that, as herein shown, the operatingmember is generally square in its horizontal cross section and isslidable in a generally complemental square vertical passage 33 thatextends entirely through the head 14 from top to bottom thereof.

The passage 33 makes it necessary to mount the pivot means on` the axisin relatively thin Wall sections of the base 14. Thus, as shownparticularly in Figs. 3 and 4, these thin wall sections are indicated at14T, and openings 15A are formed therein on the axis 15. In theseopenings, bearing members 15B are positioned so. that these bearingmembers terminate at' the adjacent side wall of the opening 33. Thebearings 15B- have what amount to key sections 15K formed therein withparallel side walls that are complemental to key slots 13K formed on theinner surfaces of the ears 13. Screws 15S extend through alignedopenings in the ears 13 and are threaded into the bearing members 15B,thus to hold the bearing members 15B with the key portions 15K thereofin engagement with the slots 13K. The bearings 15B thus rotate or rockwith the bracket 12 and act as bearings in the bea-ring openings 15A,Fig. 4.

The bearing sleeve 15 of the head 14 terminates at its lower end justbelow the lower face of the sleeve 17S, and means are provided on thislower end of the sleeve 15 for holding the sleeve in position. Suchmeans, as herein shown, comprise a resilient metal member held in placeby screws 30S and having arcuate spring arms 30A about the edge thereofacting upwardly against the lower end of the sleeve 17S. Certain of thescrews 30S also serve to support an electrical contact arm 31 inposition on and in an insulated relationship with respect to the lowerend of the sleeve 15. An electrical conductor 133 connected to thiscontact extends upwardly through clearance space 34 at one corner of thepassage 33 so that the upper end of the conductor 133 may be connectedto the lamp in the lamp housing 11. The contact arm 31 bears against anannular stationary contact ring 35 that is supported on an insulatingring 36 within the fitting 20, such contact ring 35 being centered onthe axis of the bore 16. A wire 37 extends from the contact ring 35 to asuitable switch that is conveniently located within the vehicle uponwhich the spotlight is mounted.

The operating member 32 is actuated by a Bowden cable 40 that has asheath 40S anchored at one end by an anchor sleeve 40A in the fitting 20on the axis of the bore 16, and the other end of the sheath is anchoredby a clamp sleeve 41 on a mounting sleeve 42S of a control fitting 42.This control fitting has an operating handle 43 connected by a shaft 44within the sleeve 42S to the adjacent end of the Bowden wire 40W of theBowden cable 40. The other end of the Bowden wire 40W is connected bymeans of a connecting fitting 44 and a pin 441) to the lower end of theoperating member 32 so that by rotation of the handle 43, the base 14and the lamp housing 11 may be turned about the vertical axis thereof,while by longitudinal movement of the handle 43, the operating member 32may be moved longitudinally in its guide passage 33 so as to therebyimpart rocking movements to the lamp housing as will now be described.

Thus, in affording the cam connection between the operating member 32and the bracket 12, the bracket is formed, as shown particularly inFigs. 1, 3 and 5, with an upstanding wall that is located on one side ofthe upper end of the passage 33 and which projects upwardly beyond theadjacent flange 12F. The wall 50 is cut away as at 51 to form a pocketin which a pin-carrying plate 52A is positioned. This plate 52A hasthree cylindrical pins 53A, 53B and 53C formed in evenly spaced relationthereon so as to project from both faces of the plate 52A, and on oneside of the plate 52A the pins project through appropriately locatedopenings in the wall 50 and are riveted at their ends so as to hold theplate 52 in position on the wall 50.

The plate 52A is so located that the three pins 53A, 53B and 53C arespaced from each other and are located on an are that is centered on theaxis i5. The pins 53A to 53C project from the plate 5t) to a pointbeyond the adjacent surface of the operating member 32, and thisadjacent face of the `operating member 32 has three laterally spaced andangularly located cam slots 32A, 32B and 32C formed therein. Therespective slots 32 are arranged to cooperate respectively with thecorrespondingly lettered pins 53A, 53B and 54C so that in longitudinalmovement of the operating member 32 the slots 32A, B and C will act insuccession upon the pins 53A, 53B and 53C to rock the lamp housing 11.In such rocking movement the upper end portion of the member 32 projectssubstantially and in varying amounts into the lamphousing and throughthe upper portions of the bracket 12, and clearance is provided withinthe bracket by an internal cutting away of the material of the bracketas indicated at 12C in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings.

The fit of the several pins 53A, 53B and 53C within the cam slots isrelatively snug while at the same time allowing the requisite slidingmovement of the pins along the cam slots, so that in this part of themotion-transmitting train, very little lost motion is encountered.However, in respect to the slidable operating member 32, it is foundthat in providing the necessary working tolerances between such memberand the sides of the passage 33 there is often sufficient lateral playof the member 32 to produce or allow slight rocking movement orvibration of the lamp housing 11 about the axis 15. This is, of course,objectionable, particularly where the lamp housing serves as a mountingfor a rear-vision mirror 25, and under the present invention means areprovided whereby the lateral positioning of the operating member 32 isaccurately determined to prevent such vibration. Thus, as will beevident particularly in Figs. 2 and 4, one side surface of the operatingmember 32 that is parallel to the rocking axis 15 has a longitudinalclearance groove 55 formed therein. Within this clearance groove abow-type spring 56 is mounted by means of a securing screw 57 thatextends through one end of the spring 56 and into the body of theoperating member 32. The opposite end of the spring 56 bears against thebottom of the groove 55, and the intermediate portion of the spring 56projects from the groove 55 and engages and presses against the opposedside wall 33A of the passage 33. Thus, the spring 56 acts to maintainthe opposite side surface of the operating member 32 in firm slidingcontact with the opposed wall 33B of the passage. With this arrangement,the forming operations in respect to the passage 33 and the operatingmember 32 may be simplified in that the two parts need not be fittedwith as great accuracy as was heretofore considered to be desirable.Moreover, since the operating member 32 is held at all times against thesurface 33B, objectionable lateral movement of the operating memberwithin the passage is prevented, and consequently objectionablevibration of the lamp housing 11 is prevented.

Through the use of the spring-biased mounting of the operating member32, as hereinabove described, it has een found that the usefulness ofthe rear-vision mirror 25 is enhanced, and there is no vibration of sucha character that it might be considered objectionable.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides an improved camtype operating structure forspotlights, and that through the use of the operating structure that hasbeen provided, the mounting of a rear-vision mirror on the spotlight isrendered feasible.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the invention in aparticular embodiment, it will be recognized that changes and variationsmay be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a spotlight, a base, a head mounted on said base for rotationabout a vertical axis, a lamp housing mounted on said head for rockingmovement about a horizontal axis, a plurality of motion transmittingpins in fixed relation to said housing and extended parallel to anddisposed in arcuate series about said horizontal axis, said base havinga non-circular guide passage there.-

aeivgoo in along said vertical axis, an operating plunger verticallyslidable in said passage and eective when rotated to turn said headabout said vertical axis, said plunger having angularly disposedsegmental slots therein effective to snugly and slidably engage saidpins in succession as said plunger is moved axially to impart rockingmovement to said housing about said horizontal axis, and spring meansacting in a direction perpendicular to said pins and laterally on saidplunger to hold the same laterally against a side surface of saidpassage and thereby prevent rocking vibration of said housing.

2. In a spotlight, a base, a head mounted on said base for rotationabout a vertical axis, a lamp housing mounted ou said head for rockingmovement about a horizontal axis, a plurality of motion-transmittingpins in iixed rclation to said housing and extended parallel to anddisposed in arcuate series about said horizontal axis, said base havinga substantially square guide passage therein along said vertical axisand having a first pair of its opposite faces perpendicular to saidhorizontal axis and the second pair of opposite faces parallel to saidhorizontal axis, an operating plunger substantially complemental to andvertically slidable in said passage and effective when rotated to turnsaid head about said vertical axis, said plunger having angularlydisposed segmental slots therein in a face thereof opposite one of saidrst pair of faces of said passage and effective to snugly and slidablyengage said pins in succession as said plunger is moved axially toimpart rocking movement to said housing about said horizontal axis, andspring means acting between said plunger and one of said second pair offaces to hold said plunger laterally against the other one of saidsecond pair of faces so as to prevent rocking vibration of said housing.

3. In a spotlight having a base, a head mounted on said base forrotation about a vertical axis, and a lamp housing mounted on said headfor rocking movement about a horizontal axis, said base having anon-circular guide passage therein along said vertical axis, anoperating plunger vertically slidable in said passage and effective whenrotated to turn said head about said vertical axis, a plurality ofmotion transmitting pins in xed relation to said housing and extendedparallel to and disposed in arcuate series about said horizontal axis,said plunger having angularly disposed segmental slots therein effectiveto snugly and slidably engage said pins in succession as said plunger ismoved axially to impart rocking movement to said housing about saidhorizontal axis, and a leaf spring mounted on said plunger and actingagainst one side of said passage in a direction perpendicular to saidpins and to hold said plunger laterally against the opposite sidesurface of said passage and thereby prevent vibration of said housing.

4. In a spotlight, a base, a head mounted on said base for rotationabout a vertical axis, a lamp housing mounted on said head for rockingmovement about a horizontal axis, said base having a substantiallysquare guide passage therein along said vertical axis and defined by rstand second opposite faces that are perpendicular to said horizontal axisand third and fourth faces that are parallel to said horizontal axis, anoperating plunger vertically slidable in said passage and effective whenrotated to turn said head about said vertical axis, a plurality ofspaced parallel motion-transmitting pins in fixed relation to saidhousing and extended parallel to and disposed in arcuate series aboutsaid horizontal axis, said pins projecting beyond the plane of saidfirst face and toward the plane of said second face, said plunger havingangularly disposed segmental slots therein eective to snugly andslidably engage said pins in succession as said plunger is moved axiallyto impart rocking movement to said housing about said horizontal axis,and spring means mounted on said plunger and acting against said fourthface to hold said plunger laterally against said third face of saidpassage and thereby prevent vibration of said housing.

5. In a spotlight, a base, a head mounted on said base for rotationabout a vertical axis, a lamp housing mounted on said head for rockingmovement about a horizontal axis, said base having a substantiallysquare guide passage therein along said vertical axis and defined byfirst and second opposite faces that are perpendicular to saidhorizontal axis and third and fourth faces that are parallel to saidhorizontal axis, an operating plunger vertically slidable in saidpassage and effective when rotated to turn said head about said verticalaxis, a plurality of spaced parallel motion-transmitting pins in iixedrelation to said housing and extended parallel to and disposed inarcuate series about said horizontal axis, said pins projecting beyondthe plane of said first face and toward the plane of said second face,said plunger having angularly disposed segmental slots therein effectiveto snugly and slidably engage said pins in succession as said plunger ismoved axially to impart rocking movement to said housing about saidhorizontal axis, said plunger in the side thereof that faces said fourthface being formed with a longitudinally extending clearance groovetherein, and a bow-type spring mounted on said plunger so as to bedisposed longitudinally in said clearance groove and acting against saidfourth face to hold said plunger laterally against said third face ofsaid passage and thereby prevent vibration of said housing.

6. In a spotlight, a base, a head mounted on said base for rotationabout a vertical axis, a lamp housing mounted on said head for rockingmovement about a horizontal axis, said base having a substantiallysquare guide passage therein along said vertical axis and defined byiirst and second opposite faces that are perpendicular to saidhorizontal axis and third and fourth faces that are parallel to saidhorizontal axis, an operating plunger vertically slidable in saidpassage and effective when rotated to turn said head about said verticalaxis, said plunger having faces disposed in opposed relation to saidfaces of said passage including a fourth face on said plunger disposedin opposed relation to said fourth face of said passage, a plurality ofspaced parallel motion-transmitting pins in fixed relation to saidhousing and extended parallel to and disposed in arcuate series aboutsaid horizontal axis, said pins projecting beyond the plane of saidfirst face and toward the plane of said second face, said plunger havingangularly disposed segmental slots therein effective to snugly andslidably engage said pins in succession as said plunger is moved axiallyto impart rocking movement to said housing about said horizontal axis,and spring means mounted on one of said fourth faces and acting againstthe other of said fourth faces to hold said plunger laterally againstsaid third face of said passage and thereby prevent vibration of saidhousing.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,833,308 Russell Nov. 24, 1931 2,014,454 Russell Sept. 17, 19352,623,986 Falge Dec. 30, 1952

